Hiding out!

Yesterday was a miserable weather day.  The wind blew and the dust stormed!  It was all predicted, so Baxter and I hid out in the basement most of the day.  Every time I thought it was safe to come up, it was not!  This morning we had 368 drops of rain!  It smells so good but hasn't done much in the way of washing off all the dust on EVERYTHING!

So, since I was hiding, I worked on Oliver's car quilt!  (Twist my arm just a little harder!)  I think it turned out really cute!!  I also changed the quilt in the guest room to the fall quilt.  I think I've posted a few photos of this earlier in the year, but here are a couple more.  My goal is to have seasonal quilts for all the beds!  It's a quick and easy way to decorate.  That will keep me busy for a few years!

Oliver's car quilt.  Oops, forgot to twist it before I posted......sorry.  It's cute though, don't you think?

Baxter just passed out for most of the day. 

This sleeping position just cracked me up!

Here's the fall quilt for the guest room.

I knew I wanted to do this quilt in browns (imagine that!) but I didn't think it would look this nice in this purple room.  Hard to tell how nice the colors work together from this photo, but they do.  

Sweatshirt blanket

When Roni was home this summer, she got the idea to make a "sweatshirt" blanket out of many of her old treasures.  She had sweatshirts from high school, college and graduate school.  Also had some that represented Alicia's high school and college days.  Hmm......I guess she didn't have one from Alicia's graduate school, but that's ok.  There were plenty to use.

She also used a few t-shirts from high school.  She fused those on to sweatshirts, so that the weight and stretch would be the same during construction and also for use.

A few years ago she made a t-shirt quilt from her Saint Martin's basketball t-shirts.  It's really fun, and is in use nearly every day in Boston.  This is a little different look, also very fun!

The finished product!  

High school volley ball.....

High school basketball.......

Another high school volleyball......

Obviously,  state golf......

Undergraduate college basketball.......

Think Pink is college basketball.  Every high school sweatshirt had her name on the back!

Alicia's high school.  This is particularly funny since Interlochen is a Fine Art's school!  

Alicia's undergraduate college.  Hook 'Em Horns!

Roni Jo's graduate school.  Congratulations to Dr. Roni  Jo Mielke   DPT, PT!  It's official!  She is a licensed physical therapist!

Smoke Gets in Your Eyes

No doubt you have heard about the terrible wild fires that are burning in Washington state right now. So many folks are involved in battling the blazes.  Homes have been lost, property destroyed, and the ultimate tragedy, three firefighters lost their lives last week.

Our hearts go out to all involved.

In our area, the smoke has been hanging low for a few weeks now.  Friday morning I took this photo of the morning sun and the windmill.  I know it is much worse in the areas closer to the fires, but I thought this was a descriptive image of what it looks like here.

Friday morning sun trying to burn through a heavy veil of smoke.

The smoke only got heavier as the day progressed.

Visibility on Friday was less than a quarter mile.  

Saturday the smoke cleared out, but was back on Sunday.  

Though it seems bad here, it could be, and is, a lot worse else where, so we mustn't complain.  

Shove Off!

We launched the SS Rolinco this week and headed south to Lewis and Clark Trail state park near Dayton WA.  Roni Jo and Alicia were still home and were so looking forward to the trip.  Grandpa Jim and Grandma Jo joined us as well and we had a wonderful time.

We all used the time to relax, and read, or work on projects.  We had terrific meals, and did a little touring.  Dayton is close by, and a darling little town.  Walla Walla is only 20 miles away, and home to many wineries.

Here are a few photos of our three day cruise!

The SS Rolinco, leaving Rolinco Rd.

Arrived at the camp ground, waiting for dinner to cook!

Grandma and grandpa drove up and set up, just in time for dinner.

It's always fun to have a bouquet of the local flora on the table.

Reynald grilling pork chops for dinner.

Oh man, they were soooooooo good!

I made a table cloth to keep in the motor home, and it was just perfect for covering the camp picnic table for our meals.

Baxter was on guard duty the entire time!

Roni and her book!

This is a series she read in high school which she re-visited for this trip!

Grandma had a cross stitch project that she was working on.

Alicia was working on knitting a sweater.  There was a darling yarn shop in Dayton that we just had to check out!

Reynald reading the new way, with his kindle instead of a paper back like Roni!

Grandpa did a fair amount of kindle reading as well, but right now, he's just enjoying the day!

I brought along a stitching project.  This is a monthly embroidery piece that is my current "carry project".  That means it stays in a carry bag to take in the car or the SS Rolinco!

We saw a sign for Strawberry-Rhubarb pie in Dayton.

Alicia went in and bought a piece for Reynald.  When asked if it was as good as Rolinco Road pie, he correctly answered, "not even close".  He'll be running for public office soon!

More amazing food!  This was our pot cooking meal, plus corn from the garden, dinner rolls and a nice glass of wine.

I had to snap this fast because Reynald inhaled this meal!

One morning we played the farming game for a couple hours.  The girls love this game!

This is one of the wineries that we visited and did a tasting.  

It's an old school building that has been renovated to house the L'Ecole winery.  It's absolutely charming.

We tasted 7 wines and came home with four!

Not sure if Baxter would flunk out of school here or not.  The horses across the street were terribly distracting to him!

Also stopped here to sample some wines.  This is Waterbrook.  Beautiful grounds, though I would have to do a little more weeding than they do.   The wine was good, but not as good as L'Ecole, in my opinion.  

It was a very hot day, 100 degrees, but it was cool and refreshing at the Pioneer Park in Walla Walla.

Many trees in this park are over 100 years old.

Roni Jo found a "sitting tree".  

Grandma and grandpa and Roni Jo and Alicia posing for a photo at the "sitting tree".

Reynald wanted to show how big around some of these trees are!

Here's the other half!

This tree will need to grow a few more years!!!

Baxter was obsessed with the squirrels at the park.  He tried his best to climb up the trees after them!  Here's Reynald giving him a boost!